News @ Noon / 3 April 2013

Welcome to News @ Noon for Wednesday 3 April 2013 brought to you by Gila / Mimbres Community Radio in a community media collaboration with The Grant County Beat (http://grantcountybeat NULL.com) – your daily newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County.

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The third of three College of Arts and Sciences dean candidates answers questions at public forum
(http://www NULL.grantcountybeat NULL.com/index NULL.php/news/news-articles/9904-the-third-of-three-college-of-arts-and-sciences-dean-candidates-answers-questions-at-public-forum)Created on Tuesday, 02 April 2013 20:49

The latest candidate for the dean of the newly organized College of Arts and Sciences at Western New Mexico University was in Silver City for interviews on Monday and Tuesday, April 1 and 2.

José Herrera received his bachelor’s degree, with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry, and a master’s degree in biology from Northern Illinois University. He continued and finished his doctorate in microbiology from Kansas State University in 1996.

That same year, he started working in the Department of Biology at Truman State University, where he served as chairman of the department from 2009-2011. During his tenure at Truman State, he collaborated with many undergraduate students to co-author articles. Most of the projects were undertaken at or near Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. At present, Herrera is program director at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Undergraduate Education.

He is the grandson of migrant Mexican farmworkers in California, but his mother immigrated to work manufacturing jobs in Chicago, where he was raised in the Hispanic area of Little Village on the southwest side of the city.

“Most of what I want to say today is about my vision for Western,” Herrera said. “I want it fairly informal. I value interactions as faculty members with individual students.

He responded to a number of questions from the audience and officials.

“Thank you for wonderful questions,” Herrera concluded. “I hope whoever you hire that you can trust that dean.”

Grant County Commission approves two resolutions and a bid
(http://www NULL.grantcountybeat NULL.com/index NULL.php/news/news-articles/9902-grant-county-commission-approves-two-resolutions-and-a-bid)Created on Tuesday, 02 April 2013 18:01

The Grant County Commission held a special meeting April 2, to approve two resolutions and a bid.

The first resolution under consideration was one authorizing and approving the submission of a loan application with the New Mexico Finance Authority in the amount of $276,495 for the acquisition of an International Rescue Pumper for the Santa Rita Volunteer Fire Department.

The resolution was approved.

The second resolution, which was also approved, would allow the county to reimburse itself from the loan to the county’s Fire Excise Tax Fund, the capital expenditure of $156,495 made to help purchase the pumper for the SRVFD.

The final item on the agenda addressed a bid to construct a livestock building at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Cliff to replace the structure which was severely damaged by winds in 2012. Seven bids were received for the construction project. They ranged from a high of $601,720 to a low of $362,900. Architect Jim Redford recommended the low bid be approved. The contract was awarded to TFC Construction out of La Joya, NM, near Socorro.

Saari said a 15-day protest period would follow the award.

“We will let them know that we gave notice of intent today,” Saari said. “This bid does not include the bathrooms yet. We want to get the building ready for the fair, so we will start as soon as possible. It will house the pigs, steers, sheep, and poultry. We will be tearing down what remains of the current building and restrooms. As soon as the building is up, the Silver FFA and Cliff FFA groups have expressed their willingness to put in the pens, for which we have already ordered the panels. They will do it as a project.”

Saari explained to the Beat that the bid includes the demolition. He said Redford had asked the contractor to salvage the wood and metal roofing for the community to use.

“We will paint the whole building and the concrete to protect it from the elements, since it will be open at the bottom,” Redford told the Beat. He said the bathrooms would be constructed separately, because there was not enough construction time to complete them before the fair in September. Redford said the bathrooms would be similar in design to those at Penny Park.

The next Commission work session will take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, and the next regular meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 25.

On April 10, the Office of Sustainability will host its second Community Meeting to educate and seek public comment on issues related to the development of Silver City’s Sustainability Plan 2030. The Plan is addressing how we might better prepare for increasing weather risks.

The first event was held on February 19th, and at least 150 people attended to listen to the NM State Climatologist, Dr. David DuBois, discuss our State’s past and projected changing weather. The second event will be held at the Global Resource Center, Wed, April 10, 6:30-8:00 pm.

The event will focus on Public Health. For the first hour, Mary Stoecker, NMDOH, will facilitate discussion about changing weather and health around a series of questions. Also, Dr. DuBois is returning because his professional specialty is air quality, including wind-born particulates and pathogens, and he has been working with the NMDOH on related issues. For the remaining half hour of the event, Dr. DuBois will present and discuss Drought Impacts on Dust and Health – respiratory issues for children and adults: asthma, allergies & valley fever.

This event is particularly timely, as many have loved ones who are suffering during our windy and dusty season.

There is no charge, and all are welcome. Contact Terry Timme – terrytimme@gmail.com (terrytimme null@null gmail NULL.com) – with questions.

Project to keep local food from going to waste
(http://www NULL.grantcountybeat NULL.com/index NULL.php/news/news-releases/9883-project-to-keep-local-food-from-going-to-waste)Created on Monday, 01 April 2013 15:32

“Waste not, want not,” says an old adage, but according to the Fruit and Agricultural Organization over 52 percent of fruit and vegetables go to waste each year.

The Gleaning Project is spearheaded Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC), the Grant County Community Health Council and Western New Mexico University Natural Sciences Department. Also a partner is the Volunteer Center, which oversees the local food pantry.

The project focuses on gleaning existing fruit trees and gardens. Gleaning means to harvest after the regular gathers, taking food that might otherwise go to waste. The Project intends to connect fruit tree and garden owners with volunteers to glean extra produce for a portion of the crop. An additional portion would benefit local anti-hunger programs.

The project was inspired by Marcus Woodard, a local anti-hunger activist. Woodard created a map of fruit trees and other edibles available around downtown Silver City. Woodard says, “I saw so much fruit that went unpicked on trees, just rotting. I wanted to see the trees that had community access get harvested to feed people.” The map has previously been for sale at Javalina’s Coffee House and the Silver City Farmers’ Market.

In April, the Gleaning Project will be collecting tree locations at Earth Day and the Home and Garden Show. The final project will be presented at the WNMU Academic Research Symposium on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at the Miller Library.

For more information on the Gleaning Project or to register trees or gardens call Jensen or Milligan at 388.1198 or email: healthcouncil@grmc.org (healthcouncil null@null grmc NULL.org).